Finding the dream job takes time and thought

QUESTION: This is the first job I’ve had where I actually look forward to going to work on Monday morning. It isn’t perfect (a couple of things I am responsible for, I don’t exactly look forward to doing). Is this the definition of a “dream job” or do I need to keep looking?

Gillespie: Some of us know what we want to do when we grow-up, long before we are old enough to go to college or vocational school. But many of us don’t have any career path in mind until we are about to graduate from high school. And having second thoughts later is far from unusual.

My client “Connie,” for example, had always wanted to be a Nurse (RN). That’s because she loved to help people. But when she had her degree and started working, she realized it wasn’t for her.

So, she quit her job and went back to college to earn another degree, this time in education. When she contacted me about a résumé, she said she would be graduating soon. However, she was having second thoughts about whether being a teacher would indeed turn out to be her “dream job.”

When I asked her why, she said she’d already made one “mistake” and didn’t want to make another.

“You’ll never know unless you give it a chance,” I replied.

Fortunately, that is what she did. This time she liked her new job immediately and, at the end of the school year, she told me that she was sure she had found her “dream job.”

Then there is yours truly. My guidance counselor said I’d be a great doctor. But, when I found out I’d have to take an anatomy class in medical school, I changed my mind. Although it made all the sense in the world… well, let’s just say it didn’t appeal to me.

Long story short: Today, I am a Careers Professional (Résumé Writer, Career Coach, etc.). Thanks to a small ad in the newspaper some years ago, I found my dream job! When I had the requisite credentials, and several years of experience, I opened my own business.

That said, I’m happy to provide advice and information. But whether you should “keep looking” for another job is up to you. Just keep in mind no job is perfect, but yours sounds close.

You may submit job and career questions for Judy to judy@careeravenuesbyjudy.com